Help with storage solution

Hi all,

I recently (like yesterday) found out that you shouldn't use PVC to store coins in. I collected a bit with my Grandfather when I was a kid, but now it's been a long time and I'm getting back into it. So I'm learning stuff you never concerned yourself with as an 8 year-old!

I have some gold and silver bullion coins that came in plastic 2x2 flips and I now want to get them out and into something safe. I would like to store them in a plastic hard case, those kept in a plastic sheet in a binder to facilitate easy viewing.

I have been searching and this setup seems like the perfect solution:

AirTite Holder w/ rings HERE
Eagle Untitled Album w/ 2x2 pages HERE


For my other coins, I have this storage plan:

40% & 90% Silver coins: Square count tubes HERE
Other coins: 2x2 cardboard/mylar holders HERE in Archival pages: the first listed Archival Grade Coin Pages HERE in a 3 ring binder

Can someone recommend a 1in 3 ring binder to fit the pages above?

This all is stored in a gun safe that has a Golden Rod dehumidifier and Stack-On Safe Dehumidifier. I emailed the safe manufacturer about any chemicals used inside the safe, and there reply was "The only chemical I am aware of is a formaldehyde type of glue which would not affect coins".


So, what do you think of all this? Is this a safe/reasonable solution? Would this glue harm coins?

Thanks in advance

 

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Hmmm, not what I wanted to hear, as this is the only safe I have to use. I'm going to email back the manufacturer and get more specifics.

 

The concentrations matter, but formaldehyde will definitely have a negative effect on coins if there's any significant amount in the safe.

 

Yes I do store guns in the safe.

 

I have found some extra large Hefty Zip lock bags at Target that are the 2 1/2 gallon size ( 14.35" x 16"). Being safe for food items will do for coin or collectible storage. Any album or binder I have will fit well, and I can get 5 or so PCGS Boxes inside one. This would solve the formaldehyde problem and guns in the safe. Be sure when you get the 3 ring binder that it says "Archival " or "no vinyl" on the label. They are made of safe plastics. I have seen them at Walgreen's, Costco, and Walmart, but check the label.

Jim

 

Great ideas, thanks for the tip. I was getting worried about having to buy another safe!

 

I was afraid of that. I guess I will start the search for a second, smaller safe. Any suggestions off hand?

 

Sounds like fun ! I will do that if you take a gun safe and submerge it underwater for a similar time. I am fairly sure it will be filled with water!

Sure, the bag isn't perfect, but it also won't be submerged, and any transference of air in or out of the safe or bag will be minimal. The dehumidifier is a good idea, as diffusion will allow the moisture in the safe to be in equilibrium to the moisture outside. But the diffusion of any Formaldehyde or products will be outward, not into the safe, since the concentration would be greater inside than outside. There is no perfect solution other than embedding them in acrylic plastic, so it is just to find the best situation of imperfect situations.

Jim

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My solution to this is a 50 caliber ammo box with silica gel packs. I have seen ammunition come out of these boxes after 35 years in storage and found not a spec of corrosion on any part of the cartridges. Coures I don't worry too much. I live in the southwest desert where anyting over 20% humidity is unusual.

 

I live across the street from the ocean! So I have the exact opposite problem as you. I got a bit of rust on a gun a while back, then set up the Golden Rod and Stack-On, and no rust anywhere since. So I'm pretty confident my approach to humidity control is working.

Do you then keep the ammo boxes in a safe?



When I originally bought the safe it had a bit of a "new safe smell", which I attribute to the new carpeting, fireproofing, etc.. This odor has since gone, I don't smell it at all now. So maybe the safe has off-gassed it all, I dunno.





What about keeping the coins/albums in food safe mylar zip top bags? Made from polyester resin, they create an oxygen barrier. Drop a packet of desiccant in it and it should be good to go, no?

Mylar bags
Mylar bags

 

The thing is, whether you put your coins in a gun safe, a safe deposit box, or an ICBM launch bunker, there is no escaping the environment. There will be gases, moisture and dust no matter where you put them or how you store them. The only place you might be able to avoid this is if you launch them into space. Just be prudent and don't expose them to obvious dangers by say storing them under the kitchen sink.
Guy

 

Be careful!

Keeping a gun from rusting is far different than keeping coins from toning. In particular, there's more than humidity to worry about. I'm talking about sulfides, which tone silver/copper coins but do nothing to steel.

Food safe mylar (i.e. airtite) bags work well if desiccants are added - I use something similar in my bank deposit box. I would, however, be very careful where you store your coins even with this protection.

 

Sheesh, now I'm worried. I really dont want to store the coins in an unsafe manner, and it is sounding being next to the guns is a bad idea. But I have no other safe, and I really want them locked up. Bank deposit box is not want I want, I want them at home. Looks like I will have to get a coin/currency only safe I guess.

 

I would recommend you do exactly that, then the air tight bag and desiccant to be safe.

 

I had forgotten about the guns, as I don't keep mine in the same safe. I do agree with your comment on that.

 

I agree guns and coins don't mix. But at the same time I've had coins in a gun safe for over 25 years and have seen no damage. The difference is I keep my guns in gun cases which are water tight up to 100 meters of water pressure and have hermetic seals because I like to hunt in far off places and if you transport guns via airlines it's a must have. Of course, you're going to pay more for those type of gun cases than you will for the guns themselves. So, there is a way they can co-exist together.
Guy